Self-locking bob pin



Dec. 9, i952 J. c. sANTls 2,620,808

SELF-LOCKING BOB PIN Filed March 13, 1950 Patented Dec. 9, 1952 UNITED sTATEs rATENT OFFICE 2,620,808 SELF-LOCKING BOB PIN Julius Charles Santis, Newton, Mass.

Application March 13, 1950, Seria/l No. 149,251

3 Claims.

It has long been recognized that the conventional bob-pin is not only inconvenient to open preparatory to application, but also quite diilicult to hold in open position and at the same time properly apply to the hair. Numerous attempts have been made to overcome these diiculties as by forming a fulcrum on one leg spaced inwardly from the closed end so that pressure applied to the closed end opens the free ends; and also by forming the inner or closed ends with bifurcated positions that may be pressed together to open the free ends. Such constructions have not proved satisfactory since they are either too diicult to operate, due to the relatively high tempering of the steel necessary to insure the desired spring and clamping action, and/or they embody parts which become so interlocked with the hair that ready removal is diicult and sometimes painful. A further objection to such prior constructions is the difficulty and expense of manufacture by mass production methods which is of primary importance in a highly competitive market.

The principal objects of the present invention are to provide a bob-pin which is free of the aforementioned difficulties and tov provide a bobpin which can be produced by mass production manufacture. Further objects Will be apparent from a consideration of the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side view of one form of bob-pin constructed in accordance with the present invention and shown in open position;

Fig. 2 is a top view of the bob-pin of Fig. l;

Figs. 3 and 4 are side and top views illustrating the manner in which the closed bob-pin is held in closed hair-clamping position;

Fig. 5 is an end view of the bob-pin;

Figs. 6 and '7 are views corresponding to Figs. l and 2, but illustrating a modified form; and

Figs. `8 and 9 are side and top views showing the modified bob-pin in closed position.

In accordance with the present invention my improved bob-pin consists of a single length of spring material, such as tempered steel wire or thin narrow ribbon, bent so as to provide a pair of opposed clamping legs having free open ends and inter-connected closed ends. The legs cross other between their opposite ends so that their free ends are divergent to receive a tress of hair or the like, and at least one of the legs has a bent or twisted portion effective when the closed end is rotated in one direction, relative to the open or free ends, to uncross the clamping legs and cause them to move, swing or iiex into approximately parallel hair-clamping position, to lock the legs in clamping position. Hence, when such a bob-pin is held by the closed end and inserted into the hair and rotated, sequentially or simultaneously, the free open ends first embrace a tress or group of hairs, and as the rotary movement takes place the divergent free ends close as the clamping legs become uncrossed, but the hair embraced by the open ends is retained and held clamped by the legs. The resiliency or spring of the legs in cooperation with the twisted portion of one or both legs and/ or the tress of hair held by the legs is effective to hold the legs in hair-clamping position. Withdrawing the bob-pin from the hair causes the legs to separate sumciently to permit their spring action to move or flex them back to original position. Thus, the bob-pin may be locked by a simple rotary movement when being applied to the hair and unlocked or released by simple withdrawal.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 5, the embodiment shown therein consists of a tempered steel strand in the form of a narrow ribbon bent at its central portion to provide a pair of clamping legs l and 2 having free ends 4 and 5 and interconnected closed end 6. The legs I and 2 cross at 8 (Figs. l and 2) when in normal or unlocked position so that the free end portions diverge to receive a tress of hair or the like. The end 5 of the leg 2 is twisted to provide in effect a locking tab engageable with the free end of the leg l.

With this construction and arrangement the closed end 6 of the bob-pin may be held between the fingers of one hand and applied to the hair, and by simply rotating the end 6, the legs I and 2 become uncrossed, moving into the position shown in Figs. 3 and 4, wherein they are in approximately parallel position, exerting a clamping action on the hair H formerly embraced by the divergent legs when originally applied. When moved to this position the twisted end 5 engages and interlocks with the free end 4 and cooperates with the inherent spring action of the bob-pin to hold the parts in clamping position.

When the bob-pin is withdrawn from the hair, the end 5 is separated from lthe end 4 by the cam action of the hair H and due to the resiliency of the legs, they move back to normal or original position. It will be noted that the construction is such that the bob-pin may be readily applied to and removed from the hair without becoming snarled or pulling the hair to a painful extent.

The embodiment shown in Figs. 6 to 9 is, in principle, the same as or similar to the preceding embodiment and corresponding reference chai'- acters are applied to like parts. In this embodiment the central portions of legs la and 2a are twisted as indicated at H and l2 so that their faces are normally in contiguous relation adjacent to their crossing point 8. This type of bobpin may be applied to the hair in the same manner as that of the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 5, and when its closed end 6a is rotated relative to the free ends, the legs move or are exed into the position shown in Fig. 8. Hence, when the bobpin is applied to the hair and rotated, the legs la and 2a become uncrossed and exert a clamping action on the hair H formerly embraced by their divergent ends. The resiliency of the parts in cooperation with the twisted central portions Il and I2 locks the legs in the position shown in Fig. 9; but when the bob-pin is withdrawn the hair H separates the free ends and central portions sufiiciently to permit the inherent resiliency or spring action of the legs to move or flex them to original position (Figs. 6 and 7) While I have shown and described different desirable embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that this disclosure is for the purpose o illustration only and that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A self-locking bob-pin consisting of a single length of spring material bent about its central portion to provide a pair of clamping legs having free ends and a closed end defined by said bend, said bend being effective normally to hold said legs in crossing position with their free ends diverging to receive a tress of hair, the free end portion of one of said legs being twisted so as to be engageable with the free end portion of the other leg to provide an interlock therewith effective to hold said legs in approximately parallel juxtaposed position, the closed end of said bobpin, when applied so that its divergent free ends embrace a tress of hair, being rotatable in one direction, relative to said free ends so that said legs become uncrossed and snap into approximately parallel juxtaposed hair-clamping position with said free ends interlocked, the interlocked ends being disengageable by relative rotation of said closed end in the opposite direction and by withdrawing .said bob-pin from said tress of hair.

2. A bob-pin according to claim 1, wherein the intermediate portion of at least one leg is crimped.

3. A bob-pin according to claim 1, wherein said spring material consists of a resilient narrow ribbon of tempered steel.

JULIUS CHARLES SANTIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,755,915 Durham Apr. 22, 1930 2,095,802 Engelke Oct. 12, 1937 2,161,946 Beiter June 13, 1939 2,268,629 Wardell Jan. 6, 1942 2,316,179 Mosely Apr. 13, 1943 

